It is desirable that a windrowing rake have the greatest possible clearance between the underside of the rake structural components and the underlying ground/mown hay when the rake is in an working/raking disposition so that the mown crop is not disturbed by passage of the rake support components. Additionally, it is desirable that when the rake is in a folded transport disposition, that the envelope displaced by the rake be as low as possible with respect to the underlying ground so as to clear overhanging obstacles and also be as small as possible.
The rake of the present invention substantially meets the aforementioned needs of the industry. To effect this, the rake of the present invention has a wheel assembly that is pivotable relative to a tongue assembly of the rake. Accordingly, when the rake is in the working or raking disposition, the wheel assembly is forwardly pivoted relative to the tongue assembly such that the wheel assembly is more directly beneath the tongue assembly. In such disposition, the wheel assembly is effective in elevating the rear portion of the tongue assembly above the underlying ground/crop. When the rake is transitioned into the transport disposition, the wheel assembly is rearwardly pivoted relative to the tongue assembly such that the wheel assembly is relatively less directly beneath the tongue assembly. In such disposition, the wheel assembly is effective in dropping the rear portion of the tongue assembly relative to the underlying ground. Further, the rearward rotational shifting of the wheel assembly acts to shift the rake assemblies into a generally horizontal disposition, such disposition minimizing the envelope displaced by the rake and making the rake as low as possible with respect to the underlying ground so as to clear overhanging obstacles.